If 2025 is any indication of the economic conditions to unfold, one thing is certain: The most successful label and package manufacturers will be those that build agility into their business models. When PRINTING United Expo returns to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, on Oct. 22, the all-segment gathering will offer label and package converters the opportunity to see innovations from and learn best practices across all printed products manufacturing segments that will unlock opportunities to rethink workflows, expand capabilities, and build new profit centers.
This year’s Expo builds on the momentum of 2024. If you weren’t in Las Vegas to experience the dynamic energy from the 24,969 registered attendees, 800 exhibitors, and industry thought leaders from 115 countries, you missed out on operation-changing innovations on the show floor and candid conversations in the educational sessions. These led to transformative business explorations into manufacturing automation, sustainability, market expansion, and more.
2024 Set the Stage
PRINTING United Expo 2024 also served as both a pulse check and a catalyst for the industry, with several themes evident across printing segments. Across the show floor, automation was no longer a buzzword. It was a baseline. Technologies such as AI-assisted job prep and robotics for material handling were positioned as must-haves for converters under pressure to do more with increasingly aggressive deadlines. Attendees gravitated toward solutions that could reduce touchpoints, compress turnaround times, and generally make production more responsive to customer demands.
Sustainability was also a headline theme — not in vague terms, but in very specific business contexts. From ink manufacturers touting low-VOC chemistries to printing press exhibitors showcasing waste-reduction features, sustainable packaging and converting in 2024 had matured. With extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation and retailer mandates accelerating globally, manufacturers came looking for solutions they could implement now — not ideas to consider later.
Of course, the role of printing innovation in the Expo cannot be overstated. Manufacturers of all types of printed products saw first-hand technologies that not only increased efficiencies for their current printing and converting workflows but also could help open new market opportunities. What especially stood out in 2024 was how many manufacturers in all segments were actively exploring expansion into adjacent areas, including package printers looking to expand services into point-of-purchase (PoP) displays, signage, promotional printing, and, yes, even commercial printing.
What’s New for 2025
PRINTING United Expo 2025 is poised to deliver even greater opportunities for label and package converters ready to sharpen their competitive edge. While exhibition details are still being finalized, early signals from exhibitors point to an event that builds on last year’s momentum.
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